Inevitably, we were all aware of the Covid-19 pandemic which greatly restricted our everyday lives. In some places, it even changed the way we live and work. Despite this, the world of online marketing kept on functioning as usual.

The demand for digital marketing services increased during lockdown periods as businesses and brands tried to stay connected with their customers. The result was a huge rise in the use of digital marketing tactics such as search engine optimization (SEO), digital advertising, email marketing and social media marketing.

However, as the world continued to recover from the pandemic, the landscape for digital marketing shifted. Inequality and social injustice became major themes as businesses and brands sought to help the most marginalized groups in their communities.

So if you’re looking to expand your horizons and look closer to home for potential clients, check out these ten essential industries that need to be heard from.

Health Care

The health care industry was one of the first to feel the effects of the pandemic. Across the country, long-term care facilities (LTCFs) were especially hard hit. As elderly residents live with greater dependence on others, families were forced to stay closer to home and businesses had to step up to provide extra care. These factors put a huge demand on businesses in the health care sector.

The situation became so dire that Congress passed the COVID-19 Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Facility Payment Fairness Act in order to help residents and businesses. The bill aimed to make sure that long-term care facilities received the funds that they were owed in the most expedient manner while also ensuring that quality care was still prioritized.

Aside from the pandemic, the health care industry also faced an uphill battle in terms of convincing people that they needed healthcare products and services. With the majority of the population believing that they were immune to the diseases that the health care providers were trying to prevent, the outlook was bleak.

Education

Like many industries, the education sector felt the effects of the pandemic. Schools were closed and families had to work from home. This also had a dramatic impact on student engagement and achievement. As a result, the number of students failing to meet minimum expectations fell by nearly half. The crisis also highlighted some of the inequalities that exist within our education system. For instance, Black and Latino students are more likely to be arrested for minor crimes if they are inside a school zone while White students are more likely to get a warning or a ticket for the same offense.

In order to help schools reopen and recover, the Education Department declared the Coronavirus Aid and Relief Act. The law included over a billion dollars in funding for testing, hiring more security personnel and equipping schools with the necessary PPE.

Real Estate

The real estate industry also saw a major decrease in activity as fewer people were physically going into offices and homes and fewer tourists were visiting the country. The real estate agents’ association estimated that 85% of the real estate industry had some level of activity reduced during the pandemic.

However, as the economy started to revalue housing and purchase agreements were being renegotiated, the demand for real estate services increased. This is especially relevant for smaller towns and villages where there is limited availability of housing. In fact, one in four American adults now live in a recreational vehicle or trailer.

Food

The food industry was one of the first sectors to feel the effects of the pandemic. The restaurant and bar industry, in particular, saw a huge dip in business as people chose to stay home and eat food delivery rather than spend money in restaurants. The situation became so dire that the President of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) warned that the ad industry would have to shut down if the situation continued.

In response, Congress passed the Agriculture and Food Act which allocated $8.3 billion toward food insecurity relief. The law also provided $400 million for the Food Market Fairness Act which aimed to reduce food waste and provide food assistance to low-income families and individuals.

Housing

The housing industry felt the effects of the pandemic as well. However, as the economy shifted to a more digital model, demand for online marketplaces increased. People looking for homes or landlords seeking new tenants had the ability to connect and seek services online. It became a bit like Craigslist, but with one crucial difference: most online platforms don’t charge fees.

The Mortgage Lender Education Certificates (MLECs) were created in order to provide more equitable mortgage lending during lockdown periods. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) also provided additional relief for borrowers through the Home Mortgage Refinancing Program. Together, these pieces of legislation aimed to provide more affordable housing options for families and individuals who needed them.

Retail

The retail industry, for the most part, maintained its business as usual during the pandemic. However, as people needed things to relax and enjoy their time at home, retailers who specialized in providing services such as delivery and pickup saw a rise in business. In fact, some experts predict that in the future, many retailers will shift to a more remote working model where employees operate from home offices.

The entertainment industry, specifically, saw the effects of the pandemic as film and TV production halted. However, as people increasingly depend on their smartphones for entertainment, content creators saw an opportunity and started to produce more video content for online platforms.

Energy

The energy industry also felt the effects of the pandemic. However, as we all know, the U.S. is heavily dependent on electricity so the decrease in activity was more noticeable. The electric cooperative industry, in particular, saw a 46% decrease in residential electric customers. However, as the economy slowly starts to rebuild, demand for electricity increased as people started investing in power generators.

There are countless other industries that could be included in this list but these ten are some of the largest and most affected. As we move toward a more normal day-to-day life, industries like healthcare, education, food and real estate will continue to see increased demand while others, such as retail and entertainment, may take time to recover.